Printing technologies, such as electrophotography (EP), have become more and more capable of reproducing pictorial subject matter, particularly when using three or four colors in addition to a clear toner, so that now users often desire to print textural material, graphics and/or pictorial subject matter requiring a glossy look and feel. Professional print shops produce documents such as brochures, certificates, pamphlets, and the like, with spot gloss or spot varnish. This treatment can be a regional or image-wise coating of clear ink or toner.
To meet the proper image quality in today's market, control of the image gloss, luster and other surface finishes has become more important. These users require the ability to adjust the media surface gloss continuously and as closely as possible to result in the gloss level and coverage needed to satisfy end user demands. The differences between high (glossy) photo quality gloss, medium graphic arts quality gloss, and low (matte) text quality gloss are large and the gloss levels between have been unattainable using prior art printers and current printing methods. Furthermore, there is the need to adjust the gloss level not only from one print job to another, or from one page to another, but also within a page.
A solution has been found to meet this need. Using a different toner such as a high viscosity toner in combination with four-color printing using lower viscosity toners allows the user to obtain an adjustable gloss, even within a printed page.